Book Shop
by dangocrown
Summary: Tohru and the rest of them are working in a bookshop! What happens in there? Can coincedences bring everyone together? AU
1. Missing book

**Bird: Ahem! Hey! This is an AU fic, and the curse does not apply!**

**P.U.: Hi! I'm Bird's imaginary friend. I'm a big blue hyacinth macaw!**

**Bird: So, P.U., what does 'PU' stand for?**

**P.U.: It stands for Pudorina Urino, Christy**

**Bird: I didn't tell you to call me Christy… It's not even my name!**

**P.U.: Duh! I have my own free will! Besides, what kind of name is 'Pudorina'?**

**Bird: I _knew_ there was something fishy with my Magic Markers… I do not—**

**P.U.: Own Furuba!**

**Bird: Ye Gods! You did it again!

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**

A girl named Tohru Honda once worked in a bookstore. The bookstore was called, "Crazy and Urino". Tohru Honda was very attached to all the people who worked there: Yuki, Kyo, Kagura, Momiji, Haru, Hatori, and Shigure. They all came from the Sohma family. The manager was also in the Sohma family: His name was Akito Sohma. Tohru's good friends, Uo and Hanajima came to visit the bookstore frequently, reading books in the store to keep Tohru some company. _I'm so lucky to be working around nice people like these,_ Tohru thought.

"Um, may I please buy this book?" A girl came up to Tohru, the cashier for this shift.

"Oh! Oh, yes, of course! I'll bag it for you," Tohru said politely. _Beep! Beep!_ The receipt slid out, and Tohru carefully placed the book in a "Crazy and Urino, Inc. Thanks for coming!" bag.

_THE NEXT DAY…_

Kyo spotted a note that said, "I took $10.81 from the register. And I put my book that I bought back. Fair, right?"

"Hey! You fools can't do that! We just did book stock checks! Oh God, I have to find that one puny book now?! So… without tax… that's $9.99? Now I have to check all the $9.99 books?!!!" Kyo said, bursting with rage. He walked up to Yuki and asked, "Hey, Mr. Perfectionist, where are all the $9.99 books?"

"The whole graphic novel section, O Smart One," Yuki said, pointing the shelves out.

"Yeah, whatever, O Stupid One." Kyo trudged to the graphic novel shelves. He gaped.

"Oh, crap… I have to check every single one of those?"

_SIGN: WE HAVE 40 SHELVES OF GRAPHIC NOVELS… JUST FOR YOU!

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_

**Bird: These are meant to be short. Hehe… sorry.**

**P.U.: Please review, suckers!**

** Bird: ::nudge:: Don't call them suckers! They might suspect our evil plan!  
**


	2. Missing book: Found At Last

**Bird: Thank you very much, for asking that question, _Fbgoldfish_, because now I will have to explain it, so it is clear for everyone! Yeah. I'll tell you that Kyo checks it with a scanner, because the computer will check book inventory and everything… yuppers!**

**P.U.: I'm REAL! After Bird colored me with Magic Markers, I'm a real bird. Now… :hits Bird on the head so she's out cold:: Don't worry, Adrienne always does this to Bird. She's sort of depressed that her fanfic sucks like heck.**

**Bird: I'm not out cold. Just a bad bruise. And it does _not_ suck… ::Hides in the dark corner and sulks::

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**

Kyo took the portable scanner and was through shelf 3 of the graphic novels. None of the books happened to be the one, because the scanner all had the books accounted for. _Beep. Beep. Beep._ Kyo continuously, monotonously scanned each barcode on each book.

"No… no… no…. not a match… NO!" He said, in obvious pain. Haru, who was usually at the cash register, was helping, since it's not like anybody was buying books... no, not at Crazy and Urino's. Haru didn't have a scanner, but he would run to Kyo and ask for the book to be scanned. It was a dull, boring, endless job. Suddenly, Haru's eyes brightened with hope, as he took out one particular book. Haru stomped to Kyo and smacked him on the head.

"Hey! I think I found the book!" Haru said, dangling it in front of Kyo's red face.

"Why would it be? None of them are. I'll end up finding it on a desk in the end, with the luck I'm getting…" Kyo moaned.

"Listen to me, fool! There's a receipt with the purchase inside this book! NOW SCAN IT, BASTARD!" Haru yelled. Apparently, Haru was getting black just listening to Kyo. Kyo grumbled and was surprised to see that this _was_ the destined book. What were the chances? To Kyo, it seemed one to a thousand.

"God, I hate it when other people are right, and I'm the helpless one…" Kyo muttered under his breath. "Haru was right! How could I miss it? A receipt! A RECEIPT! SO OBVIOUS! Ugh…" Kyo's mind repeated like a tape recorder, going on and on, saying the same message. Haru saw this.

" I see I have done my work well…" Haru grinned.

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**P.U.: Thanks for reading! You can read up until chapter 689… that's when we'll spring the evil plan… hehehe….**

**Bird: ::Smack!!! KAPOW!!!! Throws P.U. to the other side of the room:: Urm… Nothing happened…. Seriously… There is no evil plan… You know…**


	3. New revealings! NOt really

**Bird: The jig is up! (Jeez, P.U. thanks for ruining everything! Gosh!) The evil plan is… so you're all hypnotized into bringing me and P.U. hot chocolate every day! But P.U. SPOILED it… now there is no evil plan…**

**P.U.: That's the way uh-huh uh-huh, I like it, uh-huh uh-huh… What? No hot chocolate!**

**Bird: Yeah… do realize it was because of you. On another note, I sort of want this story to have _some_ sort of connection or similarity with The Curse. Also, right now I'm very bored. Have I ever told you that before? Hahahahahaha!**

**P.U.: Don't worry. At the mental asylum, she has her own permanent room that includes a strait jacket for free! They only let her oor run around butt-naked going, "Look at that birdie! Look at that BIRDIE!"**

Tohru was sitting in the dim, deserted book store. Today, she had to work night shift because Akito had said there wasn't enough business. Funny though, because Tohru had never seen Akito, she just got indirect orders from him. For all she knew, he could've been a water buffalo roaming the bookstore. That's how clueless Tohru was about Akito the Manager. Uo had to leave, but Hana stayed, paying Tohru company.

"Those Sohmas… their electric waves are eccentric…" Hana commented.

"Did I tell you about lunch break?" Tohru asked.

"No…" Hana replied.

"Well, I asked if they wanted to go out into that food cart across the street for some sandwiches (they make them really well!), but I think they were worried about something… they said they didn't need me to get the sandwiches. I hope I didn't say that weird… because it... it's not really weird…" Tohru stuttered.

"Yes… I see your point," Hana said. They waited in the store for a half an hour. The only other sound was some of the other employees shuffling around. Hana said it was already getting late, and apologized to Tohru for not being able to stay longer.

"It's really okay Hana! Thank you! Thank You for coming for me!" Tohru said, expressing her gratitude. Surprisingly, a boy came in. It was late, why was a boy here?

"Umm… umm… can I use your bathroom?" He said. Kyo said, obviously annoyed,

"I don't know, _can_ you? I think most boys your age have the ability to go to the bath—OW! RETARD!" Yuki smacked him on the head with the books he had been carrying: The Webster Dictionary and Thesaurus Combined.

"Don't scare the little boy away. Yes, please go," Yuki smiled, bowing politely.

"Eep! Yeah, thanks!" the boy rushed into the girls bathroom, as it happened to be closer, but nobody was using the bathroom anyways. Hatori was a security guard roaming the front gate, tempted to sleep on the job. The boy ran back out and scurried away into the darkness… how odd. Tohru fiddled frivolously with her favorite strand of her and looked on.

"No! I won't! I won't let him get away with it!" someone said, the voice muffled and far away. Tohru listened closely, pulling her ears to the sound stressing to hear.

"Please… don't! He didn't do ANYTHING! Nothing happened, the little boy was just a visitor!" STOMP! Hatori rushed to the inside of the 'permission by manager enter only'. Tohru stumbled back and her knees gave away in surprise.

_Ahh? What happened?_ Tohru thought. Momiji at the other side of the store whispered to himself,

"Yuta? No, not… Yuta…"

**NOW, FOR THE HALFTIME SHOW!**

**P.U.: Ahhhh! Break time! Hey Bird, Wassup?**

**Bird: Eh?**

**P.U.: Wassup?**

**Bird: Nothing's up except a big sign over your head that reads: "I'm an idiot!" To everyone you talk to.'**

**P.U.: Well, some people can't read. Besides, I don't see it!**

**Bird:turns to audience: See? This is what I mean, people. I meant a figurative sign, like it's so obvious you're stupid that it's as obvious as putting a sign over your head that says 'I'm stupid'!**

**P.U.: Let me repeat: SOME PEOPLE CAN'T READ!**

**Bird: Ugh! Fine, there might as well be a video tape recording that goes, 'I'm stupid! I'm an idiot!'**

**P.U.: Some people don't speak English! OR listen to English!**

**Bird: Every single freakin' person in the UK and the US does!**

**P.U.: Then I'll just travel to France!**

**Bird: First of all, you don't know French! Second of all, France was once owned by England.**

**P.U.: Don't ASSUME! If you ASSUME, you make an ASS out of U (you) and ME! (Get it? ASS-U-ME! Haha!)**

**Bird: Who knows how _old_ that saying is… :stares in a disturbed way:**

**END OF HALF TIME SHOW! YEAH!**

Ayame felt his eyelids beckoning him to close them. He slumped in the register counter, sprawling his arms as his head dropped. The next thing he knew, he was asleep. Hatori came over and poked him slightly, then sighing while massaging his temples from the migraine he was getting keeping people like Ayame in order.

"Just **_how_** did you get promoted before me? Sleeping on the job…" Hatori muttered. He took his hand, which was still cold from the night air, and nonchalantly brought it over Ayame's forehead. Ayame's brilliant eyes shot up with a start.

"Oh! Hatori! Why are you here? You know that you're the security guard!" Ayame chirped happily.

"As a security guard, I keep order. You for example, create chaos…" Hatori replied.

"Is that why you're here? Oh! Of course! Have fun keeping up the order!" Ayame said gleefully, not understanding Hatori's meaning. After that, Momiji rushed up to them.

"Was that Yuta? Do you really think it was Yuta?" Momiji said, panting from the intensity of the situation. Momiji could hear his own heartbeat, and he took his left hand and clutched his chest.

"Yuta? What Yuta? What Yuta?" Ayame said without distress.

"Yuta?" Hatori asked. "Yes… that was him…" Hatori said.

"Yuta? But I don't see Yuta! Where is he? Show me him!" Ayame said, tugging at Hatori's coat.

"Stop it. Yuta is Akito's—"

"AKITO IS INVOLVED WITH THIS! AKITO'S WHAT!" Ayame shouted. The few people in the store swiveled their head towards the sound.

"Be quiet! Yuta is Akito's half-brother…" Hatori said.

"When Akito was small, his father had another baby… his father shunned away Akito, and crooned over Yuta. Akito got jealous and threatened to beat Yuta, so Yuta ran away. Akito now has this grudge and wants to kill Yuta," Shigure stepped in.

"ACK! What's with you people and stepping out of nowhere!" cried Haru.

"Talk about yourself…" Hatori muttered.

"So, is that true Shigure?" Ayame said, his jaw dropping in disbelief.

"I don't _think_ so… It's from one of my books!" Shigure tittered.

"Wow… who knew Shigure could make such a non-perverted story! Someone please call the Guinness Book of World Records crew… we got a new award here…" Kyo grumbled sarcastically. There was an awkward break of silence. They all stared at each other. Though nobody knew the real story behind Yuta, it couldn't lead to anything good.

Tohru started to put in the new shipment of graphic novels in their shelves. She chewed her bottom lip restlessly.

"Ahh!" Tohru said. She had accidentally dropped the six books in her arms she had been trying to shelve. Yuki swept up to her and picked them up.

"Are you okay, Honda-san?" Yuki asked worriedly. "Let me help you!" He offered.

"O… Oh! Thank you! Sorry!" Tohru replied, blushing a bit. _How embarrassing… being so clumsy in a professional place like this. How shameful I am!_ She thought, looking down.

"Don't worry," Yuki said. "We'll have these books stocked up very soon!"

"OK!" said Tohru, building positive power.

_Although, she needn't be that positive about it…_ Yuki thought.

CHAPTER END! YEAH!


	4. The Joke

Bird: Hey, everybody! I hate updating, and my teacher has given me like 4 projects to work on… And yes, I will get on with the story…

Meanwhile, out of the bookshop:

As the pencil sidled back and forth in the palm of a young boy's hand, his teacher slapped her thin hand on the desk.

"Taguchi YUTA! What did I just say?"

"You were talking about… graphing linear equations…" Yuta guessed.

**Bird: for those of you who don't know (or forgot… haha… us and our old brains) linear equations are equations with lines… the formula is ymx+b.**

"Yes… please graph a line where the y-intercept is 2 and the slope is –1," the teacher said gingerly. Suddenly an assistant knocked on the door and let herself in.

"Um… will Taguchi Yuta please report to the front desk," she muttered, turning away from the scary teacher.

"Well! Please hurry, Mr. Taguchi," the teacher instructed brusquely, obviously annoyed by the fact that he had skipped out on class.

As Yuta approached the front desk, the stern headmaster with an ever-frowning face peered down on Yuta, making him look small, like an ant crawling on the floor, about to be smashed.

"There's a… Mr. Sohma Akito wanting to see you." Yuta gulped. Sohma? That was his mother's maiden name, and that he had some sort of _half-brother_ on his mom's side. A stiff dark figure swept out from the seat. Yuta jumped. That figure had been so still he hadn't noticed it.

"We'll take this outside, Miss," Akito said, and beckoned Yuta out into the waiting room. A kid with a bloody nose was waiting for the nurse. Akito glared and hissed at the boy.

"Ah!" The kid yelped and rammed right into the nurse's office. A muffled _OOF!_ Came from the other side.

"What are you doing! I thought I told you to wait outside!" The nurse screeched. "BONEHEAD! I made it clearer than clear, I even threatened to stuff you into the trash can! I have a _very_ special appointment! He has special needs, alright! Goodness!"

But Yuta hadn't noticed, as he stared into Akito's cold eyes. There was no sparkle behind it.

"Well?" Akito asked.

"… well what?" Yuta asked, trembling.

"Well, will you come to take up a spot in the Sohma Estate?" he said, as if everyone should have known it.

"But… what about Mommy and Daddy and Rubber Ducky and"

"WHO CARES ABOUT YOUR MOM!" He yelled and raked his nails across his cheek while slapping him. Yuta was more frightened than scared, and didn't make a peep.

"Right now… it is important that you come," he stated, tantrum slowly simmering down.

"O-okay—I will…" Yuta stammered.

"Good. I'll see you soon," he said, a deathly creepy tone overwhelming his voice. Yuta couldn't wait to get back to math. He never thought he _would_ be happy to return to class.

JAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJA

"Lemme tell you a joke! Lemme tell you a joke!" Momiji cried.

"O-okay! I would love to hear one!" Tohru said happily.

"So, there was this guy who ate baked beans 24-7. One day, he met this girl he liked so he stopped eating baked beans, because they made him fart. One day, he just couldn't resist and had three bowls before he went to meet his girl friend. And then, and then, his girl friend blindfolded him and led him into a room. Suddenly the phone rang, so, so, she left the room. After eating the baked beans, the guy really had to eek gasses, so he let out one fart, since he thought nobody was there. IT smelled. But he still had to fart, and farted again. The flower near the windowsill wilted. And since he had three bowls of beans, he had one fart left. He farted, and the windows shattered! Then, the girlfriend came back, took off the blindfold, and saw that she her family in the room, waiting for dinner to be served."

"Oh! How nice," Tohru said.

"Momiji! Get back on duty!" Kyo yelled.

"Can't I just rest here with Tohru-san? Can't you arrange something?" Moiji whined.

"No! It's not like you can go up to the manager and go, 'Well, gee, Mr. Manager, I'm tired and I wanna play. Can I?'" Kyo shot back.

"Why not?" Momijii said innocently.

"…. JUST GET BACK TO WORK!" Kyo said.

They progressed through the day as though nothing had happened. Nothing had happened at all.


	5. Weirdos

**Bird: Hello! TODAY, there's gonna be a new character.**

**P.U.: Oooooh. Fancy.**

Book Shop Weirdos 

"**O**kay, there are two new people joining are staff today. Um… let's see here… Eun Tien Chang and Eun Chi Chang. Oh, what funny names!" Ayame chirped. "Anyways, show them around and stuff, OKAY! Okay!" And with that, the clerk Ayame jumped off, getting ready for naptime.

Eun Tien's hair was completely shaved off. It was the first thing you noticed when you saw her, and was she was slim and tan. She was chewing gum nonchalantly and was checking her long, clear nails for flaws apparently only visible to her. She was humming her favorite song, but stopped when Ayame introduced them she bowed politely.

"Nice to meet you!" she greeted. "You can call me Tina."

Eun Chi had the same dark eyes as his sister Tina and had messy dark hair that stuck up in a few places, probably because he fiddled with his hair. He whistled a tune and his green uniform vest looked awful on him, as he wore a red t-shirt with baggy black pants. He looked like some Christmas kid on TV that wrote lame letters to Santa, and that was already without the red and green contrast in clothes. His head was also completely shaved off.

"Hi. It sounds less weird if you just call me Chiller," he said coolly. It was responded by a strong jab from his sister.

"Actually, you call him Will."

"Party pooper," he said poutily, clutching his hands together under his chin, sniffing fake tears. With an awkward moment of silence, Tohru was the first one to break the tension.

"You guys have the same last names! Are you related?" She said. Her cheery smile made them a bit more joyful about getting a job.

_She sure is friendly and kind,_ Tina thought.

_JEEZ, her therapist must be some idiot quack job._ Will thought, denying his thought of actually enjoying a friendly face around here.

"Yes! I'm the lamebrain's sister, sadly to say, and we were looking for a job," Tina said rolling her eyes. She patted him on the head, smiling.

_It's darn fine being taller than Will. Plenty of head pats to go around._

"Whaddaya meen LAME? What about you and your ridiculous hair?" He shot back.

"So? You have the same hairstyle! Hypocrite!" She yelled, leaning toward him.

"LALALALALALALALA! I don't hear you and your idiotic remarks!" He said, furrowing his eyebrows and clogging his ears with his fingers.

"Then let us help your hearing!" she growled, pulling on his ears. "Oh, don't worry a

"Err… we have to show you how to work as a bookshelf checker," Hatsuharu said smoothly cutting into their argument. "I'm Hatsuharu by the way. You can call me Haru."

"_Wasai!_ Interesting hair," Tina said.

"Yes, thanks. 'Preciate it," He replied, smoothing out his hair. Very few people commented about his hair, and when they did, they usually said, 'PREPOSTEROUS HAIR! HATSUHARU! YOU MUST CHANGE THAT HAIR COLOR TO SOMETHING MORE DECENT!', and did not lead in a very good direction.

_Ah... What's does wasai mean? ..._ Everyone thought.

"Well, time to show you the ropes..." Yuki offered.

_Oh, what a gentleman!_ Tina thought, giggling slightly.

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Ughah…. New chapter posted soon. Just wanted to get this over with. NExt chapter will have more on Yuta... and stuff.

Wasai in Taiwanese means like "Wow!" or "Oh my!"

Thank you reviewers! I'm so pleased when I get reviews

:starts slobbering and has that whole runny nose-teary eye thing going on:

R&R!


	6. Showing the Ropes

**Bird: OH MY GOSH! Someone actually bothered reading my other fic:SHOCK: Thanks soooo much!**

**P.U.:sigh: how pathetic. You know, people should at least know who the writer of the fic's real name is!**

**Bird: But Birdcrazy is my real name:shifty eyes:**

**P.U.: Yeah, suuuuuuure… (PRESSURE! PRESSURE! PRESSURE! PRESSURE!)**

**Bird: UGHHAH! Okay, my real name is Valerie. Or Lee-Lou because that's what this weird kid in my class calls me. (It's based on my last name… such a weird kid…)**

**Bird: You know what's funny? "Valerie" means strong, and my zodiac is chicken. HAHAHAHAHA! OH, THE IRONY! AHAHAHA!**

Book Shop

Showing the Ropes

"WHAT! Crazy #$!" Kyo cried. (this is rated K, anyways) he snatched the book from Tina's hands. "That doesn't go there before you check it into the inventory system!" Kyo started patronizing Tina, and giving her a good scold. The shouting woke Ayame up from his nap.

"Hm?" he said, and his hand subconsciously started scratching his… er… unmentionables. (A/N: _That_ did wonders to his reputation…)

"Look, you use the scanner and press the button!" Kyo said trying to suppress is rage.

"I _know,_ sis, are you stupid or what?" Will cut in after Kyo's statement

"Shut your crud-eating hole! Like you're doing any better! Get _her_ away from me!" she glared.

"Now, now, sis. Getting worked up like that is hard on the body. It does horrors to your complexion! And if your complexion got any worse, we would have to walk in blindfolds in worry of seeing your face!" He said smugly. "I'm going to get a head start to get away from _it!"_" Tina brushed it off and went back to work.

"Aughhh! You guys are gonna give me white hairs tomorrow! Be quiet!" Kyo complained loudly. A bystander noticed that Tina had no hair.

"Me too... If that was possible," Haru said, rubbing his temples from the noise. _Smart, Kyo,_ he thought. _Shouting to stop the shouting..._

"Dude, you see that?" the bystander said.

"The chick? Yeah… she's cute, but she's… bald! Why is she bald? Does she have leukemia?" The other guy said. The shrugged and bought their books. Tina's sensitive ears heard their conversation. She rubbed her head.

"Why are you bald, anyways?" Kyo asked.

"I'm a monk, you know? The traveling kind, a houshi if you prefer, but I've decided to lay off it for awhile, settle down until I'm done teaching Will how to be a proper houshi," she said.

"Oh…" Kyo said. "Can you ward off evil spirits and all that stuff?"

"Hmmm… Yes, I'm quite sure," she replied.

"How wonderful…" Kyo said with a sarcastic tone, although he wasn't being sarcastic at all. He just didn't know how to express his happiness.

**Bird: So, Kyo, why is it so wonderful?**

**Kyo: BECAUSE I CAN FINALLY VANQUISH THAT KUSO NEZUMI! DAMN HIM!**

**Bird: And?**

**Kyo: What and?**

**Bird: AKITO! HELLOOOOOO!**

**Kyo: Oh, yeah, and Akito…**

_MEANWHILE, WITH YUTA!_

Yuta only needed one bag of luggage for all his belongings.

_FLASHBACK_

"Oh, Yuta! What a mess! Who needs this? Or this? Or this? Oh, you're about to outgrow those pants anyways," Mrs. Taguchi said, throwing away Yuta's items in a flurry.

"Ano…" Yuta said. "So what _am_ I keeping?"

"Oh, 3 sets of shirts and pants, 3 pairs of socks, your toothbrush and toothpaste, and… Oh yes! Your uniform! You won't need toys at your half-brother's house! There are plenty of people there to keep you busy," His mother said, counting the things off as if on some sort of checklist.

_END FLASHBACK_

Yuta approached the big mansion, with pearly white walls and a lot of important-looking business people scurrying in and out. He nervously rang the doorbell. A man with sunglasses and a radio-microphone mouthpiece answered him.

"I-I'm T-Taguchi Y-Yuta… Akito-sa-sama was ex-ex-exp-pecting m-me," he stuttered. He was led into a dank, dark room.

"You're here…" Akito whispered. "Go. I will have other uses for you, but not now. Obiyashi will lead you to your room." Akito was stark still, his eyes shining brightly with what Yuta thought looked like evil. Yuta flinched as a FREAKIN'-BIG bodyguard, which he assumed was Obiyashi, grabbed him by the shoulder and ushered him into a different room, retrieved his hands back to his sides, and stiffly walked back the his high master, Akito.

_AT ZE BOOKSHOP…_

"Oh boy… I can see these retarded white hairs already!" Kyo shouted.

"Stop complaining, that's not white hair… it's… uh… _gray_ hair, so you have nothing to worry about!" Tina said. "Tohru-chan! Over here! Could you be at the register? I'm at customer service today."

"Oh! Gomen nasai, I'm coming!" Tohru chattered. Her long hair swept behind her, wearing a smile as she ran clumsily across the store. Will stared at her, hoping she wouldn't stare back, because those big, innocent brown eyes would enrapture him, and it would lead only to embarrassment if he couldn't pull his eyes away from her carefree gaze. He blushed at the thought.

"Oooooh, look who's got a BFC—a big 'effin crush!" Tina teased.

"What crush? Why would I have a crush against Tohru?" Will spewed.

"BIG 'EFFIN CRUSH!" Tina continued.

"Shut your yap!" Will said, pouting.

**Bird: Like it? Read and Review! That's the magical remedy! Thank you!**


	7. Coincedences Make the World go 'round

**Birdcrazy: I love you all reviewers! Muwahhh! _AraelMoonChild—_Huwahhahahaha… maybe Kyo _will _find out… although right now it's not really an issue… Thanks for reviewing! Hmmm… I'm going to add Black Haru for your pleasure! THANKS!**

**P.U.:sigh: you can see how desperate things can get…**

**Bird: Anyways, today we'll focus more on Yuta. But something important happens in the bookshop too!**

**

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Yuta surveyed his new environment. It was empty, which was only natural, but it had a dark and ominous feeling. He tried to muster up the happy energy to throw himself on the bed and bounce on it, but his feeble attempt made it in a shuffle to the bed and a weak plop. The cold darkness in the room made him wince and shudder. The darkness and evil… at the time, Yuta could see only one thing: stay here and die. He slung his small luggage bag over his shoulder and looked for a possible escape through a window. But no, there were no windows, as Yuta just noticed. No wonder. Was it day or night? Yuta could only hope it was still day. Crawling away into the unknown did not sound very smart in the dark. Obiysashi was still standing outside, addressing Akito.

"That was Yuki's old room… asdriem asngeikk kadvnne, he will serve the same purpose as Yuki, asnekhk vbeiladkfj shieuhlk," Akitp's muffled voice muttered to himself. He talked to himself like a crazy old man. It was followed by a bone-chilling laughter, maniacal and vicious. Yuta nearly fainted, everything in his mind telling him staying was not right. His very, most barbaric instincts kicked in and he stowed away, gripping the suitcase tightly. He stealthily ran through the mansion. Finally, a small, stain-glass window was there. Brilliant light shone in. Light! Yuta had almost forgotten light in the fifteen minutes he had spent in there. He imagined a day, a week, a month, a year! He shuddered and thanked the Lord he was getting out. Not thinking right, lusting for the light, he nearly bumped into one of the black suits. His black hair, which was whooshing from the breeze of running in the house, came to a dead stop, shorting-up it's flight of freedom in the air. His pointed, quivering nose shook.

"You… hey, what's a little brat like you doing here? Punk! Trying to listen in on stock secrets, eh? Well, we can do something about that!" the Man-In-Black said. Shocked, Yuta stumbled back. He mentally kicked himself in the rear. How had he been so stupid? With a moment of hesitation, Yuta jetted for the entrance the bulking Man-In-Black blocked.

"Hey KID! STOP RIGHT THERE!" he roared. The black-suited man lunged for Yuta, using the classic alligator snap. But as he dove, Yuta stumbled out of the way ran sprinted towards the exit. Once he was temporarily hidden behind a pink rose bush, he collapsed. Then, he gave a few good coughs a sneeze. _Oh, Jeez…_ Yuta thought. _Allergies. Curse you, pink blossoms of doom!_ More men and women, suited formally and stiffly in black, were scouting around. Apparently the original ape had given some sort of silent signal. Yuta would have to be _very_ cautious. He sneaked around and dashed to and fro, stubbing his toe a lot because he wasn't looking where he was going. Wouldn't you be looking more at the people who were trying to kill you than the dirt between your toes?

break

He wandered into a forest, but he believed it still wasn't safe yet. He wandered, and wandered, not noticing his dirty-but-otherwise-in-good-condition suitcase still clutched in his hand. Yuta clutched it like it was his lifeline to the world. The funny thing is, being in the middle of a dead-end forest, it was. The forest itself wasn't scary. Akito's room must've been sixty times scarier. Yuta crooned over his possession that his mom hadn't thrown away; Yuta had hidden it safely in his pocket. It was his a gift from his friend. His most revered, best friend in the world. His cousin who wasn't a Sohma. _Lucky him,_ Yuta thought. His cousin was currently graduating college, but treated a shrimp like Yuta like any old person. There was no age gap between them as far as his friend was concerned.

"_Enclosed in this special package is a gift for an uber guy. It's only for the most uber-est, coolest, funnest guy ever. And I mean _ever_."_ It was all on a card for Yuta's birthday. Yuta had been flattered and tried to open the card. Inside, it said,

"_You tried to open it? What a joke! But there's still a special delivery, just for you…_" and inside was his keychain. It had blue fire designs, with a most adorable pig connected with perfect circlets of silver metal. On the center of the pig was a small, perfect, glowing chunk of opal. The opal gleamed, perhaps angelically? It was always, always warm to the touch, no matter where Yuta had kept it the cold night before. The swirls of soft colors molded in the pearly white, with pure white swirling in there too. It was priceless. Where did he get it? And most importantly, to never forget where it came from, the giver had written his name: "_With happiness from…_

* * *

"And so! We will hold the annual Cherry Blossom Festival Banquet tomorrow lunch! Keep in mind Akito himself will be there! We are sorry to inform the others who have only been with us a short while. Only long-time employers are permitted to come. And, to be blunt, only the Sohmas who work here in the bookshop. The others will get a holiday, though," Ayame announced melodramatically.

"Awww…I wanted to meet the all powerful manager Akito…" Will whined.

"Eh. I'm neutral. We've gotten behind in the studies of Amitabu and Miroku," Tina said, shrugging. (A/N: Miroku is actually a real monk. Not just a character in Inuyasha… Ahem… There's more the world then just manga and anime. Miroku is the next predicted big-time monk of our age. Ahem. "our" age.)

"Ah… well, I have some business about some _lost_ brother. I think his name is Kenshii or something… I was going to take a vacation anyways," Tohru sighed. A heavenly sigh, in Will's point of view. Will nearly tripped from staring at Tohru's petite face, those smooth strands of brown hair somehow always getting on her face as Tohru would try to brush it out in vain. Thankfully Kyo wasn't there. It wasn't his shift. Yuki said he was taking some sort of nap.

"Pfff. Only kids and cats take naps," Haru sneered. That day, as Hatori was watching the place as security guard, he was also emergency doctor aid. Haru had gone into a runny nose and pink eyes phase ever since spring started, and especially when the annoying cherry blossoms decided to release their pollen and drift off everywhere. That particular day, Since it was cherry blossom festival, people where collecting cherry blossom petals and throwing them recklessly into the mall where Crazy and Urino's Bookshop was. Also, an entrance faced the outside where a beautiful array of _sakura_ trees stood in pink bloom. Their elegant, oriental branches curved gracefully and naturally, not pruned or snipped at like some plants. It was true beauty, but a nightmare for allergies. So you could see why Haru was having a bad case of sniffles, teary eyes, and grumpies.

"Retarded cherry blossoms. They're everywhere! Why does Japan take so much pride in their stupid _sakuras?_" he grunted, reaching for his fifth tissue in two minutes.

"Yeah, yeah, but what you should be worrying about is the banquet with Akito…" Yuki hissed, glaring into the invisible space where he pretended was Akito. He used his shaking hands and strangled the air. But Haru was too caught up in his snuffles to notice his love strangle the air like a prisoner convict with nothing to do. Hatsuharu gripped his hardcover book and snapped it in his anger. _CRACK!_ Haru threw the book aside.

"I… REALLY DON'T CARE ABOUT SOME SILLY BANQUET! (sniff)" he slammed his hands on the maple-wood table. "Kyo should be here suffering along with me!" As if on cue, Kyo rushed in, gracefully sliding in, but looking grumpy and out of breath.

"Let's take it on again, Kyo! Cry-baby, wimp, stupid kitty! Time to play with the big boys!" Haru grunted cracking his knuckles.

"WHAT! Look, we're not doing that here—" Kyo protested.

"Ooooh, is the crybaby scared? Then that's TOO BAD, KITTENS!" He snarled, and lunged.

"So you wanna fight? Fine! I'm better than you and you know it!" Kyo raged. They fought, tearing at each other and kicking or punching.

* * *

Tohru had taken off early. She was with Hana and Uo because they worried this long-lost "brother" was too good to be true, and were looking our for their clumsy and gullible Tohru. Tohru, with a smile, ringed and old-fashioned door bell. The majestic door had rippled glass that shone like crystal gleamed on a pattern of intricate design on a dark, finely polished wood. The house itself wasn't too grand, but it was quite moderate and roomy-looking. A young man who looked like he was graduating college sometime soon , with brownish hair that was only a shade darker than Tohru's, and a bit ruffled as if he had just gotten up opened the door. His bright hazel eyes shone, and reflected the image of Tohru and her friends. His slender chin and body structure made him quite good-looking, perhaps just as Tohru was pretty.

"Are you… Tohru? Long lost sister? Got a phone call from an adoption company?" the boy asked.

"Well, gee, aren't _you_ to the point… could've at least said 'hi'," Uo muttered.

"Oh! Sorry, where were my manners? I was just a bit eager, sorry, really. It's nice to meet you, please come on in for coffee or tea?" he said, bowing politely.

"Oh! Arigatou!" Tohru said happily. They reached a nice-looking, broad living room, and sat in comfortable plushy seats. But it was a bit empty. Just a bit. Not enough to bother them about anything. But… no, the tiny emptiness in the corner bothered them. It was furnished and nicely decorated until that point, where everything vanished and it was bare.

"Now that we're comfortable, are you really _the_ Tohru Honda? I'm… Kenshii Honda. Our mom got pregnant and had me before she was ready, so I was adopted by the Taguchi family, because it was our aunt's family. And I've finally found you! Just as I imagined you!" Kenshii smiled happily. But Tohru was lost when Kenshii mentioned "adopted by the Taguchi family."

_Ta…gu…chi? As in… Yuta Taguchi?_ Tohru thought. _Yuta's family?_

**Bird: DUN-DUN-DUN! What a small world it is in this fanfic. I LOVE REVIEWS! I WOULD APPRECIATE THEM! Besides, this is my longest chapter yet! (which isn't actually very long… oopss..)**


	8. Their Mysterious Background

**BIRDCRAZY: YEEE! OMG, I haven't updated inlike two months. HP IS OUT BABY! Dude, that's so weird, there was this pop-up ad about "Harry Potter Perfume" and "Harry Potter Cologne" It's like, HELLO! Why am _I_ getting these pop-ups!**

**P.U.: Who are you kidding? Cologne would work wonderfully with you!**

**BIRDCRAZY: WHAT! SAY THAT AGAIN YOU FAT, LAZY, GOOD-FOR-NOTHING MACAW? I'll beat you up, that's what!**

**:uses all her willpower to make P.U. vanish:**

**P.U.: NOOO, I'M MELting…..!**

**Birdcrazy: Heheheh, serves that little Koo-koo head right!**

* * *

Their Mysterious Background

_A younger Tina slammed open the door with force. _

"WILL! Time to go! Are you done with your stuff?" she asked. Then she gasped in mock horror, her hand flying to cover her mouth. She gave Will the shame stick and pulled his ear to get him up and out of his embarrassment.

"OWW! I'm sorry! I was done… so I just wanted to play…" he whined. It was five years before they would work at that fateful bookshop. Tina was oblivious to his feeble excuses and apologies, and lunged for the thing that Will was obsessing over… the Pac-Man game that someone had let him borrow. No matter what Tina did to force out the truth about where he got it, he would never say who had let him "borrow" it.

"I'll let you go this time," Tina lectured, shaking her head in disapproval. "But only because we gotta go, Mom must be coming back soon!" She threw on a thin, battered jacket over her slender body, while getting ready to run home. Will was ready to go too, and they started to run. Will suddenly stopped, took the Pac-Man off the table, and sprinted back towards his sister.

"What was _that_ all about! You might have lost me!" she panted with worry in her voice. "If something else happens because of that silly little game with a circle eating dots, I'll make sure that I take that game back to the poor boy you took it from, and make you apologize, weep, and beg on the floor for his _mercy_!"

Will's face was covered in shame and guilt like a sticky cream, but he tried to hide it from is eagle-eyed sister, though he knew it was futile. His sister felt much more settled and content knowing that her brother knew to regret and be ashamed. Tina's face softened and split into a lovely grin while she pulled at Will's hand, and slowed down to a steady walk.

"I think we'll make it in time," she said, and Will's deflated-balloon face inflated again. Tina looked at the wonderful scenery, the chirping birds, the fresh spring leaves… every life that rested in the world was special. Life… was complicated and intricate, but in the end it came to be what you saw everyday.

"Holy CRUD! _Is that the time!_" Will cried, sneaking a peek at his sister's watch. "We're DOOMED! MOM'S GONNA CREAM US! Oh, I just hope I don't end up in any old cream that goes on some old, batty hag's face! She's going to start asking questions about where we were!"

Tina saw the time too, and even on her mom's more tired days, she managed to come home before 6 o'clock. "We can already see our yard though! C'mon, bear with me here!"

"BUT WE CAN ALWAYS SEE OUR YARD! EVEN AN HOUR AGO! EVEN FROM LILY'S PLACE!" Will screamed in a full-on panic, tripping and hyperventilating, his eyes wide and threatening to make tears flood out of the lids.

"Don't say Lily's name like that! Mom might hear us!" Tina said in a state of utter paranoia and panic also, dashing near the speed of light, holding on to her brother in death grip and dragging him along. She skidded to a stop and fell on the back door to save her energy, and fumbled for keys to open the house, hearing mom's car pulling up in the driveway…

* * *

Tina and Will had been straggling on the streets, shunned out of their homes by their mom. Their mom was thin and pale, with a dangerously frail body. She was overworked and exhausted, working two different jobs on many days of the week. Her hands were worn and scruffed up, her face wrinkled and frowning, sprinkled with what were remnants of a once beautiful complexion. It wasn't that she didn't love her two children, but she was near fed up with her life, and didn't have the patience to deal with them, nor enough money.

A motherly-looking lady with a bright smile that would break down anyone's rough exterior was walking home from a trip to the park, holding a wild sparrow in her hand dotingly. Her name was sewn into her jacket, saying "Lily", and she let the sparrow hop onto her completely shaved head. She looked at the two groaning kids.

"Whadda you staring at, you bald poop?" Tina said aggressively. She was hungry and cranky, and had never heard of "manners". Her younger brother clung to his sister. Lily smiled sincerely and left the sparrow on its way.

"You some kinda animal witch?" Tina said, fascinated and interested. Her face was no longer in pain and sneering, but thin and curious.

"No, no, you just have to know the animals, maybe speak a little, and they will come to you," she said pleasantly.

"I woulda taken that bird and used its feathers for toys," Will piped. The strange, bald lady looked at them, obviously a bit disturbed and concerned. They worried that they had trodden to far into the lady's kindness, and that she would throw them away like their mother for the street urchins they were. But the lady's face was serene, and simply explained,

"Every life is special, and is to be respected with kindness and understanding,"

"So you pity us, is that what you're saying!" Tina snarled aggressively, realizing what she thought the lady had implied.

"No, I wish to help you." She stared with deep eyes that seemed to look through everything and then immediately understand. Lily taught them many things, about life, how to live through it, the effects and impacts one has. She taught them how to be a monk, and even how to defend theirselves, teaching them martial and how to be nimble and learn the psychology of your opponent. They grew up to be not only clever, but understanding of a life. With that, she knew the keys to one's mind, and with it came to power to persuade and "deprogram", or the power to make someone forget. Yes, they learned a great deal of things from Lily.

One day Will asked why there had to be problems in life. All Lily had to say to that was "You will understand only through self-realization," and gently left it at that. Masterfully, she steered the topic away to a different query.

**

* * *

**

Tina and Will jammed themselves into the room before the bell rang impatiently. Tina ran for the front door, clutching her heart and telling it to settle down. She cracked open the door and opened it before her mom got into a fit. Today, she was drunk and it was a wonder she made it home. But the only difference was she looked sorrowful, but calm, as though the answers to all her problems were answered. She kissed Tina with a frail smile, swaying and giving off a foul stench of alcohol.

"Where's Eun Chi?" she whispered softly in a slurred tone. Then, she lost her balance and nearly crashed into the floor if Tina hadn't picked her up.

"Oh… thank you dear," she said softly. Will came rushing by.

"Ma, we have to get you on the bed! You are sick!" Will said, guiding her to the bedroom.

"Oh, no, I'll be fine…" she croaked. Their mom smiled in a most uncharacteristically way.

"Mom, are you alright?" Tina asked.

"Yes, yes,"

"Are you going batty in the head?" Will said blatantly, though the traces of worry still lined his forehead.

"Yes, yes, whatever you say," she said, obviously not listening and flapping them away feebly. She gave them a last kiss, the last they'd ever get from their mom. As Tina got her into the bedroom and checked her mom's pulse, she noticed how faint and odd the pulse felt. Once their mom was settled nicely in the bed, she ran the neighbor's house for the phone to call 9-1-1, as their house didn't have a phone. Will also figured out what was wrong, and they wept their hearts out, watching their mom, only thirty-five or so, fade away. When the ambulance came, it was too late, and Tina and Will watched them carry her away in a red-and-white ambulance, blaring like a cry if panic, trying to save what was already lost.

Will was angry, furious, and terribly forlorn. He wondered miserably why problems came in the way of everything that was important to him in life. After many days, though, he felt the screaming kid inside of him mellow out, and watched his mother's funeral with a new enlightenment. It was like Yin and Yang, dark and light.

No matter how sad, how horrible, and how wretched problems were, life wasn't life without problems.

END

* * *

**Birdcrazy: That wasn't a very happy chapter… but, I thought you needed an insight on Will and Tina's past.**


	9. The Uneventful Banquet

**Birdy: OMG it's been an insanely long time since I've updated. Literally, a year. DAMMMMM. Without the N of course.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Furuba.**

**P.U.: Ackkkk. I forgot what this story was about. I had to read all eight chapters again!**

"Where can I find books about Japanese?" a young girl inquired. "I just started taking Japanese in school, so…" _Books about Japanese? About the people of Japan or about Japanese the language? Oh, the ambiguity! Well, actually, I think she means Japanese the language, but I need the drama, even if it's just in my own head. _Will thought. Nevertheless, he gave a cheery smile.

"Now, what would it be, miss. An encyclo-peee-dia, or a dick-tionary?" Will replied, the cheery smile still there. It seemed more sarcastic now.

"Uh… uh, the d-d-d-i…tionary," the poor girl mumbled.

"Oh. What an interesting choice. I mean everybody has an encyclo-peee-dia, but only half the people I know actually have dick-tionaries. But you know, I think dick-tionaries are more convenient," Will said teasingly. He was making her very uncomfortable. Tina saw this and cut right in.

"English to Japanese translation dictionaries are way in the back. Turn right," Tina said. The girl hurried to find her book. She would make sure not to come to Crazy and Urino's again. Although they did have a good graphic novel section.

"Will!" Tina hissed furiously. "That was so mean. You say that joke again and I'll _force_ the encyclopedia out of your dictionary."

"Oh… I was just kidding," Will muttered. All the Sohmas were gone at their stupid banquet. There were no supervisors here anyways.

-------------

Everyone was quiet and depressed at the banquet. All thirteen were here. Even Kagura was not declaring her love to Kyo. The manager walked in. _Akito_. He looked furious. "There should be a fourteenth one here today… But unfortunately, he could not make it. It seems he had… _other_ things on mind." Everyone shifted uncomfortably as their imaginations recoiled at the thought of what Akito had probably did. They didn't know that Yuta had managed to run away.

Once everyone was done with the dinner, Akito split into a hacking coughing fit, and Hatori escorted him away to his own private room. After that, everyone began to relax a bit more. Kagura even started rolling some yarn into a petite ball. Momiji played cards with Haru, Hiro, and Kisa. Somehow he always won. Hiro suspected he was cheating somehow, but Kisa seemed to enjoy it, so Hiro put up with Momiji's cheating hyperness.

"HERE! _A. Most. Adorable. Little. Ball, KYOOOOO! -_HEART HEART HEART-" Kagura squealed as she finished balling her yarn.

"Jeez, dipwad, it's just a ball. Of _yarn_, too, for God's sake! I'll never understand women!" Kyou growled. A steely glint flashed in Kagura's eyes, and a dangerous look crept onto her normally very cute face.

**Bird: Sorry for interrupting the story, but I'm gonna start spelling "Kyo" "Kyou" know, because technically it's correct, because that's how you spell it in Japanese.**

**Bird's fingers: "K… y… o… :twitch twitch: Nooo I can't do it! I musn't! …u." Curse you stupid fingers.**

"_MY PERFECT BALL! BUT YOU MUST BELIEVE IT'S QUITE WONDERFUL, MY LOOOOOOVE!_" Kagura moaned while whamming the ball into Kyou's head. Hatori sighed as usual at Shigure's and Ayame's insane behavior.

"Oh, but Shigure! Didn't I already tell that that brother Yuki of mine! Why yes, that Yuki! He came into my very shop and fell right into the graphic novel section! Oh, and guess which book fell RIGHT open into his lap! _Ranma_! Oh what a naughty boy!"

"It's not _your_ shop… you fall asleep during work…" Hatori muttered, but he knew Shigure and Ayame weren't listening.

---------------

Will was doing Geometry homework during his shift. It's not as though Tina, the obsessive freak who wouldn't even let him crack an innocent joke, was letting him work at the cash registers anymore. ("Although, you could be shelving the books, for instance!" Tina growled.)

"DAAAAAAA! _I HATE PROOFING! I DON'T KNOW WHAT PROPERTY! I DON'T KNOW WHAT POSTULATE! I miss linear equations!_" Will cried solemnly. Tina walked up to him, looking troubled.

"Have you seen my watch?" Tina asked.

"I don't know! Maybe it's in your head!" Will barked.

"Huh, oh let's see, MY HEAD IS BALD! So no, I do not see a watch on my head!" Tina barked back.

"Well, what I was suggesting was that it was IN your head! It's hollow enough to fit that giant-55 watch of yours! Besides, I don't see it around here anyways!" Will growled. Tina looked at the space next to his homework. Oh, why the watch was RIGHT THERE!

"WILL! It's _RIGHT_ here! What's wrong with you, stupid!" Tina snarled. _Oh. I knew that. Stupid._ Will thought lamely to himself.

----------------------

Yuta couldn't believe himself. He had sunk to the level of picking berries and weeds in the forest for eats. A day in the forest did bring a desperate edge into someone's instincts. After another couple hours of trekking, Yuta saw the light of… a big green lawn! There were some big black birds on them… what were they again? A yes, crows…. How soon one forgets when trapped in a mental asylum like the Sohma estate. The sprinklers suddenly shot on, and the startled crows flew away, crowing a warning call, their eyes wide with fright, flapping like idiots.

"_CAW, Caw, caw, caa…"_

_Hahahaha! Losers!_ Yuta thought. Oh wait. Damn. He could've eaten those birds for lunch.

**Bird: No! How could you Yuta? I love birds!**

**Yuta: You know, I'm only a figment of your imagination. So YOU made me want to eat those birds.**

**Bird: What? No… NO! I couldn't have! I simply adore birds! I wouldn't do such a cruel thing! Heck, I'm a bird! P. U. is a bird!**

**P. U.: I'm just a figment of your imagination too, even _with _the amazing powers of the Magic Marker. Besides, don't you remember? It was revealed in one of your other stories your real name is _Valerie_, not Bird!**

**Bird: You shut up you blabbermouth macaw!**

To be continued… I (HEART)all my readers!


End file.
